stinky stinker headphones

May 10, 2019 11:03 AM

Please help me destink the foam padding on my stupidly expensive headphones.

I have this gaming headset and it stinks. As in, it is EXTREMELY SMELLY. During the time I was recovering from surgery I was unable to wash my hair for almost 2 months, and it was extremely disgusting and greasy and foul smelling. Also during that time the two things I did was sleep and play overwatch, sometimes both at once. Now the foam padding on my headphones smells as foul as my greasy unwashed head did for those unbearably repulsive 6.5 weeks. It's both the ear parts and the headband part, the smell is horrifying, I can smell it right now even though it's across the room, when I use them my head is smelly afterwards even if I've just washed my hair. It smells like the oldest greasiest nastiest filthiest snapback you've ever found in the backseat of your dirtiest friend's junker car.

I am reluctant to use anything like baking powder on the foam in case it gets inside the headphones and clogs it up somehow, if anything powdery trickles ticklesomely into my ear canal I will, absolutely and without hyperbole, perish instantly. I've been wiping them down weekly with clorox lemon scented countertop wipes and it does make a good temporary difference in the stink, it covers it up for about 2-3 days, but the grossness reemerges after that.

I CANNOT BE AROUND STRONG SCENTS. I will not febreze them, or (jesus christ no) put them anywhere near coffee grounds, the smell of which makes me projectile vomit. There is no way to detach the foam padding to clean it in actual soap and water. I guess I could just buy new ones but it feels so stupid and wasteful.

I will not "leave them outside in the sunshine" because I live in a city with 15 million other humans and also many stray cats who will piss on anything left outside for more than 30 seconds.

how do i unstink fix them pls thank u

posted by poffin boffin to Technology (9 answers total)

Best answer: As an audio professional who has contended many a time with things that plain get gross and/or fall apart from overuse, I think "stupid and wasteful" may just have to be the game plan here. With all the microorganisms and bacteria potentially living and/or growing in those things, given the conditions you describe, it would be an act of mercy to relegate them to the landfill.

I am sympathetic to your desire to minimize consumer waste, but at least you can replace the individual component itself and not have to trash the entire headphone, as you might have done with a cheaper pair. That's why we buy higher-grade gear in the first place.

Replacement pads direct from Sennheiser.
posted by mykescipark at 11:11 AM on May 10, 2019 [9 favorites]

Response by poster: oh my god they just snap off
posted by poffin boffin at 11:20 AM on May 10, 2019 [18 favorites]

They do, and they are very cheap to replace, which you have to do once every 15 years on Sennheisers. You can probably replace or just rip off the top foam component. Wipe the rest down with something that won't make you puke: vinegar, rubbing alcohol, gin, soap and water, makeup remover.
posted by DarlingBri at 11:25 AM on May 10, 2019

Came in to say the same thing-- Sennheiser is really good about having replacement parts. With replacement foam and cables, my HD600s are still going strong after 16 years...
posted by gregr at 11:44 AM on May 10, 2019

Response by poster: I can't find a specifically compatible headband replacement so I'm just going to buy all the ones on ebay for $5 or less, thank you enterprising nation of china
posted by poffin boffin at 11:51 AM on May 10, 2019 [2 favorites]

I've seen people recommend freezing a pair of shoes to kill the bacteria and de-stink them - maybe that would help? You'd probably want to check that freezing won't damage the electronics first, though.
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 12:02 PM on May 10, 2019

Looks like your query has been answered. On the preventative side (speaking as a Sennheiser owner who recently had to replace some slightly stanky/worn pads) I made the decision to get me some washable headphone pad covers. The added bonus, I've found, is that they make the headphones even more comfortable to wear.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 2:39 PM on May 10, 2019

Response by poster: THRILLING UPDATE I POPPED THEM OFF AND WASHED THEM IN DISH SOAP. the water that came off was hideous and greyish, and when i squeezed them dry with paper towels, what i am pretty sure was actual blood came out, likely from the repulsive gross crusty scalp acne my greasy head grew at about 3 weeks of unwashedness. what a horrifying adventure.
posted by poffin boffin at 2:23 AM on May 11, 2019 [3 favorites]

You might be able to find an at-home exorcism kit, if all else fails.
posted by mykescipark at 6:17 PM on May 11, 2019